Tongue Tie in an Infant

Tongue-tie, aka ankyloglossia, is a condition in which some newborn babies have limited tongue movements. Babies with tongue-tie, have an attached lingual frenulum. Lingual Frenum is a small stretch of tissue that connects the underside of your tongue to the bottom of the mouth.

If left untreated it can lead to problems in breastfeeding  and can also affect eating and speaking at a later stage.

Professionals who will help you diagnose Tongue Tie:

• Baby’s Pediatrician

• Lactation Consultant

• Child care nurse

• Dentist

• Speech Pathologist

Early signs and symptoms of a tongue-tie:

• Nipple pain and trauma in the mother

• Infant issues such as trouble staying latched and poor milk transfer

• Infant makes a clicking sound when sucking

Tongue Tie Treatment:

Frenectomy or release of the lingual frenulum, performed with the help of a dental laser Frenectomies, is a simple procedure that usually takes a few minutes.

Tongue-tie and speech problems:

A small number of children may develop speech problems because of tongue-tie. Tongue-tie in toddlers seems to be less common.

In persistent cases of tongue-tie, the child may have certain speech problems. They may have difficulties creating sounds that need the tongue or tongue tip to:

• touch the roof of the mouth – such as the t, d, n, l, s and z sounds

• arch off the floor of the mouth – such as the ‘r’ sound

        Immediate Post operative after Tongue Tie

                           release with Laser